On April 17, 2020, Watchlist and 29 other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) wrote to the Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations, in its capacity as president of the Security Council for the month of April, to raise concerns around changes to the Council’s working methods in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the letter expresses concern about the transparency of the Council’s work and obstacles to the effective participation of civil society due to recent changes to the Council’s working methods in response to the global pandemic.
The letter makes a number of practical recommendations, including calling upon the Security Council to actively and meaningfully consult with civil society on any further decisions regarding its working methods.
Read the joint letter on the UN Security Council’s working methods in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo: The UN Security Council receives a briefing on Yemen by video-teleconference, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. © UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.
